The Best Dandruff Shampoos for Every Hair Type

Imagine a lush salon-like shampoo...that's also a great medicine for the white, flaky skin cells you're shedding. Here is your answer, which works almost immediately and feels downright luxurious.  

The latest from the Head & Shoulders, a.k.a. the anti-dandruff OG, is no joke: Selenium sulfide and zinc pyrithione work as a dynamic duo to address the most stubborn cases, while manuka honey provides much-needed moisture.

Sure, you have dandruff, but that doesn't mean you should leave your hair out to dry. Here, good old pyrithione zinc zaps dandruff-causing fungus while coconut and shea butter work to nourish parched strands. 

A classic is a classic for a reason. The one percent selenium in this old school queen minimizes flaking and itching, leaving behind only a satisfying menthol scent. Use just once or twice a week to control ultra-annoying cases.

Those of us with bleached strands, Brazilian blowouts, or other chemical treatments are often more prone to dandruff. And yet our  strands need the most love—the irony! This brand-new formulation works to both zap malassezia while it wraps vulnerable hair shafts in a fortifying coconut oil and argan extract blend.  

As discussed, coal tar extract—not a typo—doesn't address the malassezia fungus. Instead, it works to slow the cell turnover caused by the malassezia's proliferation. Whatever the mechanism, it seems to work on dandruff, dermatitis, and some psoriasis. 

If you spend who knows what on your color-treated hair, bombarding it with medicinal and stripping shampoos isn't likely high on your list of priorities. That's why this one percent zinc pyrithione product is sulfate-free and loaded with nourishing botanicals like neem and Indian lilac to halt flaking and preserve rich$$ pigments.  

Yes, your scalp can be dry and your hair can be oily. (Just ask your dad...) Here, a combination of flake-fighting zinc pyrithione teams up with oil-adverse peppermint, sage, and tea tree oil for a potent yet pleasant suds.

This formulation makes use of a proprietary blend of guar BB18, niacinamide, and amino acids to deeply clean the scalp and limit excess exfoliation. The result is an effective treatment, an excellent wash, and the lingering smell of the delicate sakura flower. 

A delicate blend of botanicals and two lesser-known but equally effective anti-fungals work in synergy to create a gentle wash that feels more like a treat than a treatment. 

In this pleasant white bottle you'll find zinc pyrithione doing its thang, but also glycerin to hydrate a scaly scalp. Plus, a soothing, clarifying lavender extract.

With a whopping two percent concentration of zinc pyrithione, we recommend this near-prescription grade treatment when all else has failed. You (and your scalp) won't be disappointed.